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Edinburgh Book Festival has excluded me, says prizewinning author

Edinburgh Book Festival has excluded me, says prizewinning author

Times04-08-2025
Darren McGarvey asked whether he had done something to upset festival organisers
An Orwell Prize-winning author and gender-critical feminists have condemned the Edinburgh International Book Festival, accusing it of exclusion, discrimination and blacklisting.
Darren McGarvey, who won the Orwell Prize for his book Poverty Safari and delivered a Reith lecture for the BBC, questioned the decision of festival bosses not to put him on the programme, saying that he felt excluded.
He asked if he had done something to upset festival organisers. 'I know I'm not a big deal in grand scheme of things but this is now the second book I've had out and no invite to come and do an event, at my home country's flagship book festival.
'My work on trauma is current , it ties in nicely to your themes. It's full of material that ticks all your boxes for creating conversation.'
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